E-Male

A Farewell to Arms

Time to say goodbye. It has been an incredible experience playing BF2 with TGers and company, but I am on a tight deadline to finish my next book for University of Toronto Press, which means that I need every spare moment for the next 6 months to complete the manuscript. I’ll not be joining in on Armed Assault or any new games until the book is done.

I will miss playing with you, and the carrot at the end of the stick is a possible return to TG when the book is ‘in the can’ later this Summer or Fall. To that end, a few weeks before Christmas I deleted all of BF2, and trashed my game disk, least I be tempted to join in and once more feel the blade of Santa’s knife or try to keep up with Sassy as she cuts down enemies like (insert erotic metaphor here). The temptation would have been overwhelming, as I do not think there is anything quite like the BF2 TG community.

In the meantime, I’ll be dropping in on the forums occasionally, calling for comments and feedback on a forthcoming article on BF2, military training and related issues. BF2, and TG in particular, has allowed me to study how military skills are developed through online gaming and explore certain aspects of the extension of the self into simulated environments. I’ll post an draft of the essay in a week or two.

In ‘real’ life, I am Dr. Strangelove (http://www.strangelove.com), a part-time professor at the University of Ottawa. My last book was Empire of Mind: Digital Piracy and the Anti-Capitalist Movement. I also have a few cheesy videos on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=EmpireofMInd

I’ll miss you guys and dolls, and had a great time playing with all of you. It will be a long time before I forget John.C, Coridon, the mighty and proud 1stMIP, along with Lucky Shot, Rick-the-New-Guy, Finestyle, EO and so many others who showed tremendous sportsmanship. Through your example, and drawing upon TG’s stored collective intelligence, I went from being an ‘easy ticket’ to a squad leader and commander of modest skill. OK, so I am still an easy ticket… The experience has left me with lots of ethnographic material for thinking about the relationship between the real and the hyperreal, simulation and reality.

I have watched online first-person shooters evolve since the intoxicating days of classic Doom back in 1996. I was all but blown away to discover the degree of excellence that has been achieved by the Tactical Gamer community. The implications of what is going on here will reach far into the future.

Playing with you has been one of my life’s greatest pleasure.

Best wishes,

Michael Strangelove, Ph.D (aka E-Male)
www.strangelove.com
Ottawa, Canada

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E-Male

Lucky Shot

Ah, you will be missed E-Male. Good luck in your endeavors!

Lucky Shot

P8riot

Ditto Lucky Shot. You will be very missed. Best wishes on your book and please stop in from time to time.

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Age of Conan: Tharashk (Taxiarchos), Thaumiel (alt), guild Ars Tactika - Cimmeria
XBox360 GamerTag: P8riotOne (but it might also be my son playing - he can game with TG tho!)

Dick Blonov

A pleasure meeting you.

I have to go buy a book now

DB

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|TG-6th|Blonov

John CANavar

A very sad day... Without you, playing will never be the same Michael. Who will lead our squads/fire teams? Who will sing when our chopper en route for an insertion?

I knew you were busy but I was hoping once a week or worse once a month getting together in a game. Losing you like this is a shock. Cant you tape or crazy glue that damn disc for such rare occasions?

We have to find a way of keeping you in without causing any negative effect on family/academic life... There must be a way.

freekyE

Its sad that youre going. Some of the better rounds Ive played in the last 6 months have been with you. Please dont hesitate to return once RL is back in order. Always room for a certain canuck here at TG.

(that older book sounds like an interesting read....wanders off to amazon)

Wimpinator

E-Male you will certainly be missed. My brother (Brandrick) would often say "Oooh E-Male's on, lets see if we can get in his squad. You were an absolute pleasure to play with. We wish you the best of luck and that book looks incredibly interesting.

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|TG-6th|Wimpinator

ThePenguineer

NOO!!!!

Get to work and finish that book fast, you hear!!!! Or else....

<Cries.>

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Tempus

Good luck to you with your new book. You have been a great asset to the TG community during your time here, and your absence will be noted by all.

Until you return..

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Battlefield 2/2142 Game Officer
Contact me with server/player/admin issues.




-- Suits are what you wear when doing things you shouldn’t want to do anyway.

FROM THE TACTICAL GAMER PRIMER.
3) Support game play in a near-simulation environment. Where the focus of play would not be solely on doing what it takes to win, but doing so utilizing real-world combat strategy and tactics rather than leveraging exploits provided to players by the design of the game engine.

Exploding_Silver

Good luck and see you in 6 months E-Male

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Hambergler

TG will be missing a pillar of its community. My favorite SL.

I can see from your writings and videos that your passionate about what you do. Hopefully you will come to your senses and realize that smashing the BF2 CD was a hasty crime of passion. No one will hold it against you if you make an early return. Until then, good luck with your book and my the force be with you.

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sordavie

Good luck on the book Michael!

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jmaker

It was always a lot of fun when you were squad leading. We're all sad that you have to go on hiatus. Good luck with the book.

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PanzerHans

Good luck with the book!

On a sidenote....It is always so intriguing to connect a face with a voice.

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--
VI VI VI - the number of the beast

Drizzid

Best wishes a good luck with everything Emale. You're top notch and TG will miss you

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